(Not Applicable)
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to clothes dryer exhaust vent systems, and more particularly to a wall outlet box for a dryer vent exhaust conduit.
2. Description of the Related Art
A clothes dryer requires an exhaust conduit, typically enclosed in a wall cavity, which conveys heated air and lint from the dryer to an external location. The dryer can include a flexible hose which connects the dryer blower to the exhaust conduit. If the flexible hose is kinked or crushed, or otherwise altered or damaged, air flow from the dryer can be restricted, resulting in inefficient operation of the dryer. Of even greater concern is the possibility of lint buildup within an altered or damaged hose. Lint material is combustible, and the heat build-up due to the blocked air flow can result in fire. In this regard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissioner estimates that there are 15,500 occurrences of dryer fires annually, many of which are the result of lint trapped in the exhaust duct.
In a common installation configuration, the exhaust conduit within the wall cavity is angled so that it protrudes perpendicularly from the wall surface, and the flexible hose leading from the dryer blower is inserted therein. The diameter of the flexible hose is typically sized to allow for close engagement with the exhaust conduit.
The positioning of the exhaust conduit in the wall usually causes the flexible hose to bend in at least two places when connected. During installation, this connection is initially made and the dryer is then pushed toward the wall. Dryers are usually installed in a limited amount of space, and it can be extremely difficult to adjust the vent connection after the dryer is installed. To avoid damaging or altering the hose during installation, the dryer is often positioned a considerable distance from the wall containing the exhaust conduit.
The point of connection for the flexible hose usually consists only of the protruding metal conduit. In the prior art, one alternative to this arrangement is seen in Harpenau, U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,183, who discloses a recessed rectangular box to be mounted in a wall which can receive the coiled flexible hose, thereby allowing the dryer to be placed in close proximity to the wall. The box includes a plurality of apertures to receive the exhaust conduit so as to allow for different installation configurations. An inherent limitation of this design is that it is difficult to position the flexible hose within the box in such a way that optimal efficiency and safety are achieved. It would be advantageous to provide a wall outlet box for the exhaust conduit which can house the flexible hose, and is also configured to guide the flexible hose into the proper position during installation.
The present invention relates to a wall outlet box for a dryer exhaust conduit. The box includes a plurality of substantially planar integral walls defining an enclosure open at the front thereof. The enclosure includes a back surface, a pair of opposing side surfaces, a top surface, and a bottom surface. The opposing side surfaces, back surface and top surface include forward facing edges aligned in a single plane collectively defining a front periphery. The front periphery preferably has a perimeter greater than the perimeter of the back surface. The bottom surface preferably extends downwardly from the back surface to the front periphery. The bottom surface can extend downwardly from the back surface to the front periphery.
The wall outlet box further includes at least one port located in at least one of the back surface, opposing side surfaces, top surface, and bottom surface adapted to engage with a dryer exhaust conduit, whereby a flexible hose can be inserted into the exhaust conduit, and at least a portion of the flexible hose can be housed in the enclosure. The port can be an aperture. A mounting lip, which can include mounting structures, extends outwardly from the forward facing edges. The mounting structures can include holes in the mounting lip adjacent to the opposing side surfaces adapted to received mounting screws. The mounting lip can be configured to allow the wall outlet box to be mounted between two vertical wall studs in a wall. The top surface and opposing side surfaces can flare outwardly from the back surface to the front periphery.
The wall outlet box can also include a shoulder extending generally perpendicularly outwardly from the mounting lip proximal to the opposing side surfaces and the top surface. The shoulder preferably has a depth at least as large as the depth of a wall surface to be installed on a stud wall such that the wall outlet box can be installed in an unfinished stud wall prior to the installation of a wall surface on the stud wall, and wherein the shoulder abuts the inner edges of the wall surface after the wall outlet box is installed.
The wall outlet box can further include a generally L-shaped mounting lip adjacent to the forward facing edges of the opposing side surfaces and the top surface. The mounting lip can be integrally formed with the front periphery. The L-shaped mounting lip can include a first section which is generally perpendicular to the plane defined by the front periphery and extends rearwardly therefrom, and a second section parallel to the plane defined by the front periphery and extending outwardly therefrom. The second section can further include mounting structures adapted to secure the second section to at least one vertical stud of a stud wall. The first section preferably has a width at least as large as a wall surface to be be installed on the stud wall, whereby the first section can be secured to the stud wall, and the finished wall surface mounted on the stud wall is shouldered by the second section.
The wall outlet box can further include a substantially vertical rim portion adjacent to the front edge of the bottom surface, the rim portion adapted to extend downwardly to be in alignment with a floor surface after the wall outlet box is installed.
The wall outlet box can include at least one additional port in the enclosure adapted to receive a gas line. The enclosure can include a knockout portion located and sized to create a port when the knockout portion is removed. The knockout portion preferably initially forms an impervious integral part of the enclosure, and can be attached to the enclosure by a plurality of frangible connector webs. The knock out portion can be removed from the wall outlet box by rupturing the frangible connector webs.
In an alternative embodiment, the wall outlet box can be adapted to be installed into a finished wall. The wall outlet box can include a plurality of substantially planar integral walls defining an enclosure open at the front thereof. The enclosure can include a back surface, a pair of opposing side surfaces, a top surface, and a bottom surface. The opposing side surfaces, back surface and top surface include forward facing edges aligned in a single plane collectively defining a front periphery. The front periphery preferably has a perimeter greater than the perimeter of the back surface. The bottom surface preferably extends downwardly from the back surface to the front periphery. The bottom surface can extend downwardly from the back surface to the front periphery. The wall outlet box can include a substantially planar mounting lip adapted for placement on the exterior surface of a finished wall. The mounting lip is contiguous to the forward facing edges and extends outwardly in the plane defined by said front periphery. The mounting lip can include mounting structures.